


Some Things Never Change

by SerendipitousLyss



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen, Post-Canon, fe3h writer zine, just friends hanging out, mercedes pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:20:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26903530
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SerendipitousLyss/pseuds/SerendipitousLyss
Summary: Mercedes attends a class reunion lunch and catches up with some of her old classmates, including one visitor she hadn't expected to be able to make it.
Relationships: Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert & Dedue Molinaro, Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert & Mercedes von Martritz, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Dedue Molinaro, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Mercedes von Martritz, Mercedes von Matritz & Dedue Molinaro, dimitri & mercedes & ashe & dedue
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	Some Things Never Change

**Author's Note:**

> Now that preorders are closed, I'm able to post my zine piece for the FE3H zine Beneath the Banner! This zine gives individual focus to each class and its characters before and after the timeskip, and my assignment was to write about post-timeskip Blue Lions. I had a ton of fun with this light-hearted piece, which was my first ever FE3H fic at the time. I hope you all enjoy it as well!

The door of the inn swings open with the tickling of a bell, signaling Mercedes’s arrival. She lingers briefly in the doorway, letting the cool summer breeze fill the lobby and rustle the leaves of the lush green plants that sit beside tall windows. Colorful flowers poke out from between the leaves, lending a pleasant color and aroma to the modest space and contrasting the dark couches and armchairs that await the arrival of new visitors. Just the sight of it brings a smile to her face; she’s only been here a handful of times before, but the familiarity of the comfortable inn is like returning home for the first time after a long trip.

From the kitchen to her right, she can already hear the faint sound of quiet conversation, the hushed voices of old friends reaching her ears and bringing a rush of excitement to her. She drifts toward it, the smell of freshly-baked bread hovering in the air as she pushes through the closed door and enters the dining area of the inn.

“Mercedes!” Ashe’s happy call sounds from across the room just before Mercedes locks eyes with her old friend. He’s standing behind the counter, wearing an apron that covers him from his shoulders down to his knees, and his shirt sleeves are rolled up to his elbows. “I’m glad you could make it. We’ve been waiting for you.” Wiping his hands off on his apron, he makes his way over to Mercedes and greets her with a warm hug, practically beaming as he does.

Mercedes lets out a soft giggle, giving Ashe a brief squeeze before he pulls back. “It’s been too long, Ashe. I was so excited when I got your invitation to this dinner, I just couldn’t pass up the chance to reconnect with my old friends!” she says. “Is Dedue here as well?”

Ashe nods his head, waving for her to follow him over to a group of tables near the kitchen’s open counter. “Yes, he’s just in the back grabbing a few more ingredients for our dinner. Did you bring tea with you? You mentioned wanting to in your letter, so we brought out the tea set if you’d like to use it.” He flashes her a brief smile, nodding to the stovetop behind the counter where a kettle is already heating.

Mercedes claps her hands together joyously, then turns and reaches into the bag at her hip for a small box. “Yes, of course! I’ll get it started right away,” she says eagerly, making her way over to the edge of the counter where she can work on the tea without getting in the way of the rest of the kitchen. Dropping a teabag into each of the ceramic teacups, she adds, “The inn looks like it’s doing well. I was surprised when you told me you wanted to open it instead of becoming a knight, but you’ve clearly done well with it. It turned out gorgeous.”

Ashe chuckles softly, rubbing the back of his neck in a sheepish, humble manner. “Thanks. It was a lot of hard work, but I’m really proud of how it turned out. Dedue helped me a lot with the kitchen menu and decorations, too, so he’s partly to thank as well,” he says, glancing down into a pot heating atop the stove. He picks up a wooden spoon and begins to stir its contents. “He’s still a much better cook than I am, at least when it comes to food from Duscur, but I’m learning quickly. He can’t be here all the time, after all!”

Mercedes giggles into her hand, nodding her head, and as she does, Dedue emerges from the storage room at the back of the kitchen with a handful of assorted vegetables and a few bottles of spices. “Good afternoon, Dedue!” she calls, waving a hand in the large man’s direction as he moves to set the extra ingredients down on the counter beside the stove.

He lifts his gaze at the sound of her voice, a smile coming to his face. “Hello, Mercedes. You’re here earlier than expected. I trust you were able to travel safely?” he says, his deep voice easily carrying over the noise of the kitchen.

Mercedes nods her head, removing the kettle from the heat and pouring a cup of tea for herself to take back to one of the tables with her. “Oh, yes, everything was quite smooth,” she replies, claiming the table nearest to the counter and pulling out a seat for herself. Cupping the teacup in her hands, she goes to take a tentative sip from it. “By the way, Ashe, did anyone else respond to the letter you sent?”

“Some did,” Ashe responds, “but not everyone was able to come. Ever since the end of the war, it’s been one thing after another.” He sets the wooden spoon he’s been stirring his pot with down in the sink and moves to dry his hands on a towel, turning to face Mercedes. “Sylvain’s had to pick up some of his father’s slack now that Margrave Gautier is assisting with the rebuilding effort, and with the Kingdom short on trained knights, Ingrid’s been working day in and day out to keep up with all the work that’s coming in. I imagine things must be pretty hectic in Fhirdiad.”

Across the counter from him, Dedue nods in agreement. “It seems that both Sylvain and Felix have their hands full helping out in their own territories,” he says with his usual seriousness. “With Rodrigue gone, all of House Fraldarius’s affairs fall to him to manage. I can’t imagine either of them have much free time. Faerghus may be stable now, but there’s still much to do, and that’s not even imagining the work His Majesty is surely wading through.”

Mercedes sighs softly, leaning her head on her hand. “It’s like that all over the Kingdom, it seems. Even Annette’s had her hands full with her work at the School of Sorcery,” she adds, frowning slightly. “She was quite disappointed that she wasn’t able to come…”

She opens her mouth to say something more, but before she can, she’s interrupted by the telltale sound of the front door’s bell ringing, signalling the appearance of a customer. Ashe straightens up, making his way toward the kitchen door. “I’ll see who it is,” he announces, but whoever it is beats him to the punch, stepping through the door of their own accord with the kind of hesitant politeness that could only belong to one person.

Poking his head sheepishly into the doorway is none other than Dimitri, to Mercedes’s utmost shock. Though he’s traded his full-body armor for more comfortable day clothes, he still carries a sword sheathed at his hip, and the thick fur cloak thrown over his shoulders only serves to make him appear even taller and broader than he already is. Still, it’s clear that he’s not lost his politeness since the last time Mercedes spoke with him, as he hesitates to enter, as though waiting to be acknowledged before he encroaches on the conversation. When Mercedes meets his eyes, he offers her a small, almost shy smile.

“Dimitri?” Mercedes exclaims, her surprise quickly melting into delight at the sight of her old friend.

Ashe goes slack-jawed in the face of the one and only King of Faerghus standing in his doorway, though he’s quick to compose himself with a wide smile. “Your Maj--I mean, Dimitri! What are you doing so far from Fhirdiad? When you didn’t reply to my letter, I figured you were just too busy to come all the way down here,” he rambles, clearly taken by surprise.

Across the counter, Dedue straightens up, as if on impulse. “Is it wise for you to be so far away from the capitol?” he asks, though he’s clearly just as shocked as everyone else.

Dimitri relaxes some, letting out a short, soft chuckle as he closes the kitchen door behind him. “You’re as strict as ever, Dedue,” he replies, his words taking on a teasing edge. “Don’t worry, it’s only for a few hours, at most. I’m… on break, you could say. Mind if I join you?”

Mercedes jumps up at once, moving to meet Dimitri halfway and grabbing him by both of his hands. “Dimitri, you don’t even have to ask! It’s so good to see you,” she assures, giving his hands a gentle squeeze and tugging him toward the kitchen’s counter. He stumbles a little in the face of her forwardness, though he’s quick to recover.

“I can’t believe they let you leave,” Ashe laughs, the corners of his eyes crinkling in amusement with how widely he’s smiling. “I’ll admit, I didn’t think there was a chance in the world that you’d be able to come, when I wrote you that letter. Things are just so busy, everywhere, and you must be getting the worst of it, being King and all.” He turns back to the pot he’s been tending to, removing it from the lit burner and extinguishing the fire underneath.

Dimitri takes a seat beside Mercedes as she reclaims her spot, tugging off his gloves and slipping them into the pocket of his cloak. “I wouldn’t say they “let me”, necessarily,” he admits. “I suppose it’s more like I… snuck out, for a bit. Not to worry, though, Felix agreed to cover for me for a short while. It was his idea, actually.” He grins at this, a twinkle of amusement in his gaze as he reaches for his teacup and moves to take a sip. “I was surprised when he offered, but I trust him to keep things from blowing up while I’m away. I’ll no doubt be in for a scolding by my advisors when I return, but it will be well worth it.” Glancing down, he looks a bit more embarrassed when he adds, “I wanted to see you all.”

Mercedes smiles, as softly and sweetly as she always does. “We’re so glad you could make it,” she replies. “Next time, you should make Felix come! Maybe things will be a bit calmer by then.”

“Maybe,” Dimitri agrees, smiling in a way that makes the corners of his eyes crinkle. His genuine smiles are easier to come by since the end of the war, a detail that Mercedes tucks away fondly. It’s been too long since she’s seen him smile so freely; he’d never been one for genuine emotion. Now, though, he no longer holds himself back from expressing his happiness, his amusement. Mercedes doesn’t think she could ever grow tired of seeing it.

Sitting down across the table from them, Ashe begins to untie the strings of his apron. “Say, Dimitri, have you heard from the professor recently?” he asks suddenly, draping the dirtied apron over the back of his seat for the time being.

At the counter, Dedue finishes up his preparations, setting a hot pan on the stove to cool, and moves to join the rest of the group at the table. “Last I heard, they were headed out to Enbarr to check up on how the local government is rebuilding,” he says. “That region has been particularly volatile since the end of the war.”

Dimitri takes a sip from his teacup, then nods his head. “I see the professor from time to time, when they come to Fhirdiad on business, but the Kingdom has dominion over all of Fodlan now. There aren’t enough hours in a day for them to do all the work that needs to be done.” He chuckles fondly, cradling his teacup in his hands. “Even with the Knights of Seiros helping out, we still have a ways to go. The professor always seems happy, though, whenever I do get the chance to speak with them.”

Mercedes smiles at this. “That’s good to hear. It must be lonely work, being the archbishop, but if anyone is up to the task, it’s our professor. I just hope they’re not working themself too hard!”

“It’s good to know that they’re doing well. I haven’t been able to see them much since the end of the war, with them being so busy,” Ashe says with a somewhat sad sigh. “I know they’re doing whatever they can to help, but I still can’t help but hope that someday they might be able to come out here sometime, to see how things are going. I have a new recipe I’ve been working on that I’ve been hoping to let them try; they always did like sweets, after all.”

Mercedes perks up at the mention of sweets, eyes going wide in realization. “Oh! I almost forgot, Annie helped me make these before I left this morning. She wanted me to share them with everyone as her apology for missing out. She sends her love.” As she speaks, she reaches into the bag she’d propped up against her chair and pulls out a covered container filled with about a dozen hand-decorated cookies. The little tan-colored cookies have obviously been frosted with great care, each one featuring different colors and patterns to give them a light, fun feel.

Ashe’s eyes light up at the sight of the treats. “Oh, wow! Those look amazing,” he exclaims, leaning over the edge of the table to get a closer look. “I’ve missed eating your and Annette’s sweets, there really are none better than yours.”

Even Dimitri looks excited, leaning forward every so slightly in his seat. “Yes, it has been a long time since I’ve had these, too. Yours always were the best.”

Mercedes grins, moving to take a cookie from the container. “You flatter me, Dimitri,” she giggles. “In any case, these should go well with the tea I brought, so please, help yourselves.”

“I’ll prepare the soup. It should be cool enough by now,” Dedue announces, standing up from his seat with a small smile.

“Thanks, Dedue,” Ashe calls after him, “you’ve been a big help setting all of this up.”

The container makes its way around the table as Mercedes watches her friends eagerly snatch up the treats inside. It’s a scene that feels reminiscent of their old Academy days, when she and Annette would often bake sweets for the rest of the House after training or during study sessions for upcoming tests, and the thought of it makes her chest warm with affection. In nearly every way, they’ve changed, shaped by their time at the monastery and the years spent fighting in the war, and yet they all remain friends despite having walked very different paths in life. It brings her a sort of indescribable comfort to know that, no matter what should occur in the future, they, at least, will always be consistent.

“Are you alright?” Mercedes is drawn out of her thoughts by Ashe, who tilts his head inquisitively in her direction when she turns to meet his gaze. “You’re being unusually quiet.”

Mercedes nods her head with a smile. “Yes, I’m just fine,” she assures. “I was just thinking that I’m very lucky to have friends like all of you.”

Dimitri lifts a hand to his mouth in an attempt to stifle a brief laugh, nodding in agreement. “I feel the same,” he says, eyes crinkling in fond amusement. “I would have been lost a long time ago, had you all not been there to bring me back to my senses. I am blessed to be surrounded by such kind and dedicated allies.”

“Hey, that’s what friends are for,” Ashe chimes in, reaching up to pat Dimitri on his broad shoulder. Next to the King, he looks like a veritable child, and yet the two manage to stand on equal footing, here, at a casual dinner between old friends. “Even though we never technically graduated, the Blue Lions house has always been a place where we look out for each other. That isn’t going to change anytime soon. I know the others feel the same, too, even if they couldn’t be here today.”

“Yes, you’re absolutely right,” Mercedes agrees. “We rely on you as our friend and our King, so you can rely on us in return. It’s only fair, after all!”

Dedue returns to the table with a tray laden with four bowls of soup, and the savory smell of it quickly fills the dining hall.

“Oh, that looks delicious,” Mercedes praises as the bowl is set in front of her, and it seems that the rest of the table is quick to agree, because all four of them dig into their meals with vigor. It isn’t long before the dining room is filled with the sounds of laughter and joyful conversation, and the clinking of glass and silverware on bowls and saucers. At this moment, Mercedes thinks she couldn’t possibly feel more content.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks so much for reading! If you're interested in more of my works or have a question/prompt for me, you can find me on tumblr @serendipitouslyss or on twitter @serenlyss. I'd love to hear from you!


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